William C. Phillippi

Brian J. Sherr is Managing Shareholder Emeritus of the firm's Fort Lauderdale Office. Brian practices law in the areas of real estate, residential and commercial development, acquisitions, condominiums, development, acquisitions, complex negotiations, dispositions, partnerships and joint ventures, disputes, workouts, and transactional law. Brian served on the Executive Committee of the Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar. He is also a former Chairman of the Real Pro...

Catherine C. Darlson is an experienced litigator who has spent her entire career exclusively representing victims injured by medical malpractice, car and truck accidents, unsafe premises and roads, and dangerous and defective products. In addition, she has handled complex commercial, class action, and insurance bad faith claims, and has represented individual whistleblowers in fraud claims against pharmaceutical and other corporations. She is committed to providing passionate, fearless, and c...

A trial lawyer with more than two decades of experience, Jason Oletsky concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on private equity, M&A, bet-the-company, and shareholder litigation. Among Jason’s high-profile client base are some of the largest private equity firms both in and outside the state of Florida. Jason serves as outside general counsel to a number of different funds, and provides contract, employment, trade secret, non-competition...

Jodi Colton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Family Law. Jodi, who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jodi is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Birke serves as co-chair of Akerman’s M&A and Private Equity Practice Group. David’s practice focuses on representing private equity funds, family offices and their portfolio companies in complex acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, restructurings, growth capital investments, and debt and equity financings. David’s wide ranging practice also encompasses representing other private and public companies with corporate governance, joint ventures, executive co...

Michele L. Stocker is a commercial litigator with a broad range of experience representing clients in the financial services industry including local and national banks, consumer finance companies, mortgage bankers, credit card companies, and third-party debt collectors. She also regularly advises clients in employment-related matters involving discrimination, harassment, severance agreements, restrictive covenants, and wage and hour issues.

Nicholas G. Milano is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Nicholas G., who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicholas G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Janine Kalagher-McGuire is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Janine, who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Janine is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Stephen F. Katz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Stephen F., who practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Justin Savioli is a partner with Katz Baskies & Wolf PLLC. He is a graduate of the University of Miami (B.A.) and University of Miami School of Law (J.D., cum laude). He served as an Articles and Comments Editor on the University of Miami Inter-American Law Review and was a member of Phi Alpha Delta, a professional law fraternity. He received his Master of Laws in Taxation (LL.M.) from the University of Florida.